They’ve long been the pride of hotels and pure delight for guests to enjoy – those spacious guest rooms adorned with ultra furnishings and nearly every conceivable amenity. Enough to stir jealousy in royalty with room titles like “Presidential Suite,” “Owners Suites,” and “Villa,” these rooms are the crème de la crème, the epitome of comfort and lavishness. 

Until recently, travelers could only enjoy such accommodations on land.  However, cruise lines have been busy refurbishing ships and allotted space on their new ships to offer their guests the same level of luxury accommodations while at sea.  And when cruise lines decide to do things big, they do them right.

Depending on the cruise line, there are 500 square feet suites and some more spacious than a typical house with layouts ranging from 1,000 to 9,000 square feet, outfitted with everything to meet most needs for one or enough supplies to entertain a multitude of your closest friends. Take Norwegian Cruise Line’s Garden Villas for instance: three bedrooms, living and dining room within 5,750 square feet. Or on Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2, combine five suites to make one 9,000 square foot palatial estate. If you crave space, a suite is the way to go.

Once inside, every comfort imaginable is at your disposal: ocean views, many with private verandahs from which to nestle into the robe and slippers while sipping a complimentary beverage; bathrooms with upscale toiletries with such names as Bulgari and L’Occitane, deluxe towels, separate shower and tubs (many with whirlpools); bedrooms with fine linens and an ultra-lush beds; entertainment with high-tech gadgetries of large flat-screen televisions and sound systems; and butlers on-hand. Yes, many cruise lines include butler service to suite guests to help with nearly every need, from unpacking to serving hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

You will want to spend some time out of your suite as cruise lines offer plenty of additional benefits to suite guests. NCL’s Garden Villa guests also have access to private sun beds, a hot tub, steam room and private garden, not to mention butler and concierge service. Other exclusive perks offered by cruise lines include private VIP invites, early disembarkation, suite-guest-only communal areas, preferential dining or shore excursion reservations…and the list goes on.